Box Score ORLANDO, Fla. – A strong doubles showing and a pair of singles wins put the FGCU men's tennis team on the cusp of sealing a season-opening victory, but the Eagles were unable to hold off the UNC-Wilmington Seahawks Sunday. FGCU (0-1) led 3-1 with three matches to spare only for the Seahawks (1-1) to come back, ultimately handing the Eagles a 4-3 defeat at the ITA Kickoff.

"UNCW played a great match today," said head coach CJ Weber. "They played at a high level consistently throughout doubles and singles, and I believe that was the reason they got the win. I absolutely loved the way we played doubles today. That was a huge positive we can take away from the match. UNCW got us today, but I don't think we're going to lose too many matches this year when we win the doubles point."

Facing the reigning and five-time Colonial champions, FGCU's 2018 season-opener got off to a fantastic start thanks to victories at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. Mateo Ruiz (Bucaramanga, Colombia/Oklahoma State) and Felipe Escobar (Pereira, Colombia/Liceo Frances de Pereira/TCU) defeated Michael Morphy and Andres Torres 6-2 to give FGCU immediate momentum.

After Javier Fernandez (Ibiza, Spain/IES CTEIB) and Austin Bates (Marietta, Ga./Pope HS) fell to Michael Copeland and Agustin Savarino 6-3 at No. 3, Oliver Landert (Naples, Fla./Florida Virtual School/Florida) and Felipe Ramirez (Armenia, Colombia/Florida Virtual School) held off Ignasi de Rueda and Raphael Calzi with a 7-5 victory to claim the doubles point.

The Seahawks used a victory at No. 3 singles to pull even with the Eagles, but Fernandez claimed a 6-2, 6-4 match over Josh Hublitz at No. 6 singles to put FGCU back in front 2-1. Newcomer Escobar earned his first dual match victory moments later, defeating Calzi 6-1, 7-5 at No. 5 to put FGCU on the brink of victory.

After Landert dropped a 6-3, 6-3 decision to Copeland at No. 4, the match was left to Ezequiel Cerrini (Sunny Isles Beach, Fla./Homeschool) and Ramirez at the top-two singles spots. Both Eagles had dropped their first sets to the pair of Seahawks, who combined for 22 wins last season, but both forced lengthy second sets.

Cerrini forced a second set tiebreak and led early, only for de Rueda to come back and claim the match 6-2, 7-6. Ramirez meanwhile, forced a tiebreaker in the first set and came back from 3-5 down to tie the set 5-5. The sophomore was unable to complete the comeback, falling 7-6, 7-5 at No. 1 singles.

UP NEXT
FGCU finishes the ITA Kickoff with a match against BYU Monday at 11 a.m.

COMPLETE RESULTS
Doubles Results
1) Oliver Landert/Felipe Ramirez (FGCU) def. Ignasi de Rueda/Raphael Calzi (UNCW) 7-5
2) Mateo Ruiz/Felipe Escobar (FGCU) def. Michael Morphy/Andres Torres (UNCW) 6-2
3) Michael Copeland/Agustin Savarino (UNCW) def. Javier Fernandez/Austin Bates (FGCU) 6-3
Singles Results
1) Andres Torres (UNCW) def. Felipe Ramirez (FGCU) 7-6, 7-5
2) Ignasi de Rueda (UNCW) def. Ezequiel Cerrini (FGCU) 6-2, 7-6
3) Agustin Savarino (UNCW) def. Mateo Ruiz (FGCU) 6-3. 6-1
4) Michael Copeland (UNCW) def. Oliver Landert (FGCU) 6-3, 6-3
5) Felipe Escobar (FGCU) def. Raphael Calzi (UNCW) 6-1, 7-5
6) Javier Fernandez (FGCU) def. Josh Hublitz (UNCW) 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish: Doubles (2, 3, 1), Singles (3, 6, 5, 4, 2, 1)

CJ WEBER
FGCU is led by CJ Weber who has coached 26 ASUN All-Conference selections since joining the Green and Blue in 2011. In his sixth year, Weber has compiled a 74-57 (.600) overall record and a 29-14 (.694) record in ASUN play. In 2014-15, Weber guided the Eagles to their first-ever ASUN Championship and first-ever ASUN Regular Season title after a program-best 17 wins. In his third season, Weber led Jordi Vives to a No. 35 national ranking, a nation-leading 14-match unbeaten streak and the round of 32 in the 2014 NCAA Tournament - the program's first appearance. The Eagles completed consecutive perfect ASUN seasons in 2016 and back-to-back conference titles as well as a second-straight Coach of the Year honor for Weber.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
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#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.